


The Omega Master, or, The Alpha-Omega pokemon fanfiction absolutely no one asked for.

by ryuchanwings



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Ghestis is a bastard, How Do I Tag, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I really suck at angst, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Non-Traditional pokemon quest, Non-sexual (For now), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Tags May Change, True Mates, Will likely raise ratings later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-01-08 23:13:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12264045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryuchanwings/pseuds/ryuchanwings
Summary: Though gender equality in Unova has made leaps and bounds in the last century or so, things are still not easy for a young woman who was born in the Omega designation.  Going on an adventure with powerful creatures, alone, with no adult supervision?  It's just about unheard of for an unbonded Omega.  It's too dangerous.  Most go to a school to learn about pokemon breeding and nursing, as most of them have the ability to understand the creatures and therefore yield excellent results.Touko never really liked the idea of her path being chosen for her.  Not that there was anything wrong with breeding pokemon, and people like Nurse Joy were indispensible to society.  But what she wanted was... more.  She wanted to go on her own pokemon journey with her friends, see the country, no, the world!!  And she wasn't about to let her gender get in the way.





	1. Chapter 1

Touko Shirogami was five years old when she was told she could not be a pokemon Master when she grew up. 

She had been playing with some kids in her kindergarten class, holding a Quilava plushie and announcing she was going to be like Flannery when she grew up, and-

"Touko, you can't be a gym leader!" 

Startled, she looked at the girl who had spoken up. "... yes I can!" She said back, more shocked than angry.

The girl shook her head, rummaging around in the toy chest. "Nuh uh, Touko! Daddy said that Omegas become pokemon doctors like nurse Joy or breeders or stuff!" She grabbed a Chansey out of the chest and marched over, grabbing at the Quilava she was carrying and trying to take it away, shoving the Chansey at her instead. 

Touko refused to let go. "Hani is miiine!! You can't take him!!" She wailed, wrapping both arms around the fire pokemon doll. 

Another girl, an Alpha, stepped in, pushing the bully away. "You can't steal other people's pokemon, Kara!" She declared. "Then you'd be like Team Rocket!"

The rest of the class finally spoke up, backing the Alpha. "Yeah!" "Hanabi's right!" "She's so cool!!" "Hanabi should be Officer Jenni!!"

Touko was still clinging to her Quilava, and it wasn't much longer until a teacher noticed the commotion and came over. Kara got a mild scolding, about how "Omegas were very sensitive, and you couldn't be rough with them."

But Touko picked up on a couple things. They just told Kara that it was wrong to steal pokemon, and mean to make an Omega cry. They didn't tell her that Omegas could be whatever they wanted to be. 

~~~~~~

Later that night, Touko's Mom was a bit worried about her little girl, as they went to their little house in Cherrygrove City. Touko, usually cheerful and outgoing, was a little reticent and gloomy. "What's wrong, Touko-chan?" She asked finally. 

"... Mama, why can't Omegas become Trainers?" She asked after a few moments, picking imaginary lint off of her Hani. 

Youko frowned. "Who..." ah. "Hmm, someone at school said that? " she asked. The little girl nodded, and her mom sighed. "There are Omegas who become gym leaders, sweet pea, but a journey-" over here in Johto and Kanto, it just wasn't done. Omegas were too vulnerable at that age. 

"... I'm not worth any less than an Alpha." The little girl said after a few moments.

"Of course not!" 

"I want to be a pokemon Trainer. I want to challenge all the gyms in a region. I want to be the best Master I can be." She looked at her mom. "I want to be an Omega Master, so that other Omegas can tell people; I want to be like her someday. So no one can tell them they can't."

Youko dwelled on this for a few days. She was a Beta herself, but her mother had been an Omega and, well, she was nothing if not a strong woman. 

So, after talking to her husband, she took Touko aside and asked her an important question; "Do you want to go live with Daddy and I in Unova?"

And she said:

"Yes."

Touko Shirogami moved to the Unova region at the age of six.


	2. Chapter 2

Touko stumbled out of bed, barely suppressing a jaw-cracking yawn as she shuffled into her bathroom to switch on the light. She looked awful, but that happened sometimes when you were so excited you couldn't sleep. Today was Touko's sixteenth birthday, and the day she and her friends would become pokemon trainers. Legally. Officially. She grinned at herself before heading to the shower, turning it on and dumping her nightshirt and bottoms in the hamper by the door. Ten years since Touko had moved to the Unova region, halfway across the world from where she had been born, and she was finally going to get her first pokemon and live her dream. 

Or, at the very least, she was going to start on the path *to* her dream. 

She climbed into the shower, and hesitated for a moment as she considered her typical soaps and shampoo. She used scent-eliminating and obscuring products most days, but perhaps today, the day she'd meet her new pokemon, wasn't the best choice? She debated for a bit, then decided to play it safe rather than sorry. Pokemon weren't mindless animals, after all. Her new partner would be able to recognize her no matter how she smelled. 

It also helped that she could communicate with any pokemon with no trouble. 

She sighed and toweled herself dry after getting out of the shower, then picked up her bottle of Beta-scent oil and began to apply it to her body, in places where Omegas secreted high levels of pheromones and scent. First, a light spray on her head, massaged into the scalp. Hairbrush to distribute it through the hair. Apply to the neck, behind the ears, between the shoulders, down the spine, on the chest, the hips, pelvic area, inner thighs, behind the knees, and a powder on the feet. It was Summer, after all, and sweat produced a strong, hormonal scent. 

In Unova, Omegas were allowed to go on Adventures, but only under supervision if they were unbonded, if they already had an Alpha, or if they had special written permission, they took precautions, and they and their parents signed a waiver, saying that they understood the risks of an Omega traveling alone, and any Bonds that happened weren't the responsibility of the Pokemon League.

It wasn't great, but it was far better than conditions for Omega trainers in Japan. You could only become a gym leader there if you inherited it, and you could only go on a journey if you were either bonded or escorted. And, Touko was lucky in the aspect that for her, heats were more mild annoyances than they were crippling. Oh, sure, she had them more regularly than most Omegas, her cycle was once every other month, but they were extremely regular, and she was never afraid of being found out by those who didn't know her.

Part of the plan was for her to be registered as a Beta. Juniper was helping out with that, and the only people who knew about her true gender was her family, her best friends, Bianca and Cheren, and the Professor, who was actually quite encouraging about this whole thing.

Touko dried and tied back her hair in it's usual high ponytail, before grabbing her clothing for the day. Jean shorts, a long white t-shirt, a short-sleeved, light black jacket, and sneakers. She put on some wristbands and a cap as further adornment, and grabbed her pink satchel bag her mom got her for her last birthday. 

Juniper would be over soon with the Pokemon, and then Bianca and Cheren would come, and they could all pick out their partners! How thrilling!

She already knew which one she wanted, too-

"Touko! Come down here, please!"

The teenager jumped up and ran down the stairs. Standing in her kitchen, talking to her mother, was the Pokemon Professor, holding a blue and green package. She turned when Touko entered the room, and smiled. "Well, hello Touko. Ready for the big day?"

"I've been ready forever!" She said excitedly, bouncing on her heels as she looked at the box. "Can I take it upstairs?"

"Of course, here." She said, handing it over. "I need to run back to the lab. Come and see me before you go!" She waved and left the house, as Touko squealed with glee and ran back up the stairs, going to her room and setting the box on her desk near her bed. 

She was still staring at it when her friends entered. Bianca was a nice girl, very blond, a little clutzy, but super sweet beta, and the blue-black hair of her bespectacled Alpha friend, Cheren. When they were younger, people had thought that Cheren (Who figured out Touko was an Omega before she could tell him herself) was a great match for her, but, well... Touko was a romantic. She wanted to wait for her Soulmate, and hoped that she'd find him (Or her) after she became the first Omega Champion of the Unova region. 

"So, this is it, huh?" Cheren said, pushing his glasses up on his nose. 

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Bianca said. "Who should pick first?"

Cheren smirked, glancing over at the Japanese girl. "Touko?"

She looked at him, then smiled and nodded, approaching the box, pulling off the bow, and lifting the lid. Three Pokeballs. And she already knew which one she wanted. She grabbed the ball emblazoned with a small flame, and took a deep breath. "Tepig, I choose You!" She said, releasing the pokemon from the ball.

The small fire piglet shook, snorted, then blinked up at her, tilting it's head. Who are you? A feminine voice asked. A female! Wow, that was rare. 

Touko smiled as she knelt down to hold out her hand to the Tepig. "I'm Touko! I'd like to be your trainer." She said. "Would you mind if I called you Ember?"

She snorted. Ember? That's not very creative, is it? She asked, tail waving slightly. ... But, I like it okay. And I like you! You can hear me, can't you? She trotted closer, and began sniffing at her. You smell sort of weird.

"Well, that's because I change my scent."

 Why?

"Because I'm an Omega."

 Is being an Omega a bad thing for a human?

"Well, no-"

 Then why hide it in the first place?

She rubbed the back of her neck. "Um... stupid human reasons?"

Ember grunted, seeming to take that for an answer, while Cheren and Bianca watched the exchange with amusement. "I never get tired of that." Bianca said with a sigh. "I wish I could speak with pokemon like you can."

"Well, some people do grow into it later." Touko said as she picked up the Tepig, cuddling the warm, smoky-smelling body close to her. Fire pokemon were the best. No one could ever convince her otherwise. "You guys should pick too."

Bianca snatched the last two balls. "I'll take this one." She said, handing the other to Cheren. "And this one's yours!"

"Really?" He asked her flatly, before looking down at his ball and shrugging. "Well, I wanted Oshawot anyway, so it's no big deal."

Bianca twirled around before stopping and jabbing a finger at Touko. "Hey! Let's have a pokemon battle, right now!"

"Now? Here? In my room?" Touko asked, frowning. 

"Well, yeah! We'll be careful, and they're like suuuper small anyway, they won't damage anything!"

Touko looked very unimpressed as she hugged her small swine. "No."

"Come ooooonnn!" The blond Beta pouted prettily, batting her eyelashes at her Omega friend as she clasped her hands under her chin. "Just one, teensy little pokemon battle?" 

Touko stood up and headed for the stairs. "Sure! Once we're outside."

"Spoil sport." She heard her mutter behind her, and the former Johto girl smiled. 

Once outside the house, she set Ember down to give her a brief pep talk, as Bianca called out her Snivy for the first time. The little leaf-lizard looked really stuck-up, but it was quite pretty, Touko had to admit. "You ready for us to have our first battle?" she asked.

You bet! Ember tossed her head and snorted, little puffs of smoke coming from her nostrils. I was born ready! Let's do this!

Well, the fight didn't last too long. The Snivy was much faster than the fire pokemon, but Ember was stronger than him. Touko was smiling for most of the battle, hearing young pokemon try to trash-talk each other was really cute. Especially since the Snivy had a voice that reminded Touko of some entitled rich boy from an anime, and Ember was more the peppy tomboy from Brooklyn Street in Castelia City. 

Then, Cheren healed up their scrapes, before asking for a battle between his Oshawott and Ember. Despite being at a type disadvantage, once again, Ember's strength (And Touko's direction) pulled her through. They won both of their first battles!

"Great job, Ember!" Touko said cheerfully as the healed pokemon jumped into her arms. "You're so brave and strong!"

I am, aren't I? She said with a snort. Praise me more!

Bianca and Cheren left to make some last-minute preparations before going to Junipers to get their Pokedexes and their trainer cards, Touko doing the same. She packed all her toiletries in with her clothes, her money, some pokemon food and snacks for the road, and a bedroll and tarp in case she wound up camping. All sorts of things happened on Pokemon journies, after all.

Youko watched her come down the stairs with Tepig, dabbing at her eyes with a cloth. "Oh... I knew this day would come, and I'm so happy for you, but I'm nervous too." She stepped forward and wrapped her daughter in a tight embrace. "You have your Xtranciever and there are phones at every pokemon center, so be sure to call me."

"Yes, mom."

"And don't be afraid to ask me for more money for your account, but don't blow it all on random things."

"I won't."

She stepped back to look at her face. "... I love you so much." She said. She was anxious, letting her baby go out all alone... well, not all alone. She had a pokemon now, but it still wasn't very strong... "Be careful."

"I will be, Mom." She said, kissing her on the cheek and shouldering her things. "Alright, I'm off! See you later!"

The older beta watched as her girl ran down the road towards the Professor's house, Tepig trotting along at her side. This was what she wanted more than anything in the world, the dream they moved halfway around the word to give her. 

But she still had the feeling that destiny was laying in wait for her daughter, and hoped that nothing would happen to delay that dream.


	3. Chapter 3

Touko really hoped she'd be able to find a Water-type pokemon that wanted to come along soon. 

She still loved Ember, and would never trade her for anything, but still! This summer was waaay too hot!! And Ember really, really liked cuddling. 

The little pig snorted a small puff of fire from her nose, roasting the berries Touko set out for her, and began eating. Cherri berries are so good! She said happily. You should try some, Touko! 

"Ah, I prefer Oran or Chesto berries." She replied easily. "Cherri berries are too hot for me."

The face she made at Touko made her laugh. But they're so dry!

"I prefer to think of it as... they're smooth and refreshing." She countered. 

It had been one day since their adventure started, and Touko was loving it. They were still only on Route 1, in between Accumula Town and Nuvema, taking time to explore a little and check out all the pokemon. Not that there was a huge variety on this side of the river, mostly Lilipup and Patrat. Basculin could be seen in the river sometimes, and Feebas, and even a Milotic once! She'd really wanted to talk to it, but was nervous to call out. It was fairly strong, after all, and she'd rather not offend a powerful water pokemon. 

Most of yesterday consisted of training, by themselves, and against Bianca and Cheren, once each. It was a good idea, she thought, for them to get used to each other. And Ember liked it, too. She thought so, anyway.

She once asked a Pokemon why he enjoyed fighting so much, a Liepard that belonged to her father's work friend. He'd said because he liked to fight, and to prove how strong he was.

Touko still thought there were a lot of questions unanswered, however, and hoped to one day meet a pokemon that had been around forever. Like a Legendary! That would be cool. Basically, she concluded that pokemon were all different, just like people were all different. 

"Well, Ember..." She stretched, then got up and brushed the dirt off her pants. "Ready to head to town? I could use a refreshing shower, and you could use a proper rest too."

Okay! The small pig replied, standing up and shaking herself. Let's get going then! 

"... You're okay with coming with me, aren't you?" She asked as they passed through some long grass. "I mean.... with me being a trainer, and battling and stuff? Do you want to battle?"

Yep! She said. I like showing how strong I am and fighting for You! I love you, you know?

"And I love you Ember. Which is why, if you didn't want to fight, or something like that, you could tell me. I'd still have you travel with me, we'd just do... different stuff."

 

The piglet gave her an odd look. You want to be the Pokemon Champion, right? Go on this journey and see the world?

"Well, yeah-"

Well, I want to be the strongest Pokemon. She replied, beginning to trot off again. Stop worrying about it.

 

She laughed, but felt much better for the fire starter's assertion. "Well, alright then! What else can I say to that?" She chuckled. "Let's go to town. I want to have a proper meal."

You should try eating more Cherri berries. They're really good! Ember said. 

"But if I ate more Cherri Berries, there would be less for you." Touko pointed out, and watched as the black-and-rust colored piglet stopped in her tracks, giving her a startled, considering look. 

.... you know what, forget about the Cherri Berries. You should eat Rawst Berries! She said, and Touko burst into a fit of giggles. 

"Rawst Berries are so bitter though!" 

But they're good for you, right?

"Only if you're frozen."

They bantered back and forth like this long into the evening, it being the height of summer, the sun took quite a while to sink into the horizon. 

 

Accumula town was... well, she'd been there before with her mom on shopping trips, but it was different walking there. She had to carry Ember in her arms as they got closer, walking along the side of the road as cars whizzed by. Soon enough, she'd come to the sidewalk, and-

Someone honked and whistled as they drove by, and she gave them a disgusted look and a sharp hand gesture. Sharp, but not vulgar. Maybe the shorts had been a bad idea. But dammit, it was too hot for jeans! 

Want me to melt their wheels? Ember offered helpfully.

"No, sweetie, but thank you." She murmured to the Tepig as they finally reached the town proper. Beyond the trees, Accumula town was a city dominated by hills. Some parts high, some parts low, the town was almost large enough to be called a city, in Touko's point of view. She climbed up a hill and set Ember down as she pulled out her water bottle, taking a few gulps as she looked out over the sunset-colored town. Tall buildings, short buildings, and... There! Across from a park, the red of a Pokemon center. She took note of what streets it would take to get there, and continued on her way. 

It was finally getting dark and cooling down rapidly by the time the young woman walked into the Center, stifling what would have been a jaw-popping yawn as she walked up to the counter.

The Nurse Joy turned around and gave her a smile. "Welcome. What can I do for you tonight?"

"I'd like a bed and a checkup for my Tepig, Ember, please." She said with a bleary look, another yawn escaping. The pink haired nurse smiled and nodded.

"Alright." She said. "May I have your trainer card for a moment, please?"

The Omega girl handed it over, and the nurse swiped it through the reader, did a couple things on the computer, and handed it back. "Alright, thank you very much! Audino will show you back to the girl's rooms and the shower."

"Thank you!" She said, then looked at the Tepig, rubbing her head and back. "Okay, Ember, be good for the nice lady and I'll see you when you're done."

Ember nosed her hand. Okay! She said before going to Joy. I'll see you soon!

Nurse Joy gave her another look, frowning slightly, before her eyes widened. Ah. She was Omega too. Touko gave her a small, tired smile. 

"Do you need any food to take your suppressants?" She asked quietly, leaning over the counter. 

"I'll be fine." Touko said as she shouldered her bag. "I've got everything I need in here."

The older Omega leaned back and nodded. "Alright. There's a button on the wall in case of emergencies." She said before picking up the Tepig and walking into the back. 

The Audino came around the counter and waved at her. The cheerful pink and yellow pokemon said, before leading her down the hall. Hello! Follow me please! He said. It's been quite a while since I've seen an unbonded Omega trainer!

"Mm, I'm glad you guys get some Omegas in here." Touko mumbled, sleepy, but polite. This Audino was chatty.

The nurse pokemon continues to chatter all the way back to the female dorms. Oh, we have some local bonded and unbonded Omegas here that have Pokemon, but no trainers on journeys. He stopped outside of a door. Well, we're here! The girls dorms are right through here, and the girls bathroom is in the back.

Touko waves him off, then digs her soaps and shampoos out of her bag, along with a towel and PJs before heading to the shower. By the time she returns to the room she was given, Ember is sitting on top of her bag. She crawled into bed, then pulled the piglet into her arms, and fell asleep.

 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

 

The next day, she was feeling sore in unusual places, and decided to take a personal day with her pokemon. She wandered around the town, went to a cafe that played lovely music (And served both people and pokemon), visited the PokeMart (And bought ten pokeballs to get the premier ball, she loved the colors on it), and went back to the pokemon center to check on her finances. Managing money was one of the hardest parts of being a trainer. Pokemon centers supplied for room and board, but only when they were actually staying the night there. Camping was another story entirely.

Once that business was concluded, she was heading out to get an early dinner, when she saw some sort of huge commotion in the park across the street from the Pokemon center. "What in the...?"

"Touko! Over here!"

Her eyes immediately searched for the owner of the voice, and smiled when she saw her blue-haired Alpha friend. "Cheren!" She said, looking both ways before running over to join him at the crowd. "What's going on?"

"This group called Team Plasma is giving a speech in the park." He said, adjusting his glasses as he looked askance at her, shifting so he was standing behind her right shoulder. Giving her a little space, even as she went on yip-toe to see over the crowd... and then she snorted, her free hand (The one attatched to the arm not carrying her Tepig) clapping over her mouth. "What's with those costumes? They're dressed like European knights." Then her face brightened as she looked up at Cheren. "Is it a theater group? Or some sort of Rennisacne thing?"

He was about to respond when the knight in the middle shouted over the crowd for silence, then stepped aside to let a man through... with green hair, a strange piece over his eye, and incredibly ugly robes.

Something about him made Touko shudder and inwardly recoil. Maybe it was the air of self-righteous superiority he radiated, maybe it was his expression, or maybe it was the way she could hear his Alpha voice subtly resonating as he spoke. What the hell?! It was SUPER rude to try and assert dominance over a crowd like that... Maybe not illegal, but Touko thought it should have been. 

And the words he was saying... About how Pokemon and people shouldn't interact. How people were oppressing Pokemon. The urge to turn them all loose right away.

Pokemon Liberation, he called it. 

"Pokemon ABANDONMENT, I call it!" Touko hissed, Cheren giving her a slightly wary look as he glanced around, watching the dispersing crowd. "If a Pokemon doesn't want to be with it's trainer, that's one thing, but some pokemon were raised solely by people!! How would they feel if suddenly their family threw them out 'for their own good?! Rrrrgh!" She growled, and Cheren cleared his throat.

"Touko, you might want to calm down, just a little bit-"

It's okay Touko! Ember said, rubbing her head against her chest. I love you a lot, and I'm here because I wanna be. 

Touko smiled and rubbed her ears before kissing her forehead. "Right." She said. "Thank you, sweetie."

"Your Pokemon..."

"Wah!" Touko jumped a bit in surprise as a Green-haired young man approached... a little too close, actually, like he didn't understand the concept of personal space. Well, most Americans didn't, so she usually forgave them, but-

"Just now, your pokemon said some interesting things..." He was looking directly at Ember not at her. Touko looked the boy over, and... well, she liked what she saw. Long, light green hair, with darker green eyes. Rather than being too flashy with a scent (Which was nice) she actually couldn't detect a thing from him, though based on his statement, she suspected he was an Omega. Maybe once the lingering scents from the crowd dispersed- And if Cheren relaxed a little, sheesh! His Ocean Storm and Pine scent was a little cloying at the moment, what had his knickers in a twist?

"What do you mean 'said some interesting things'? You're an Alpha, right?" Touko gave him a startled look. "Alphas don't sense Pokemon feelings."

She almost smiled and shook her head at him. She remembered the extreme level of skepticism he'd had when she told her friend she could actually hear exactly what pokemon meant to say when they were seven. It took quite a while to convince him otherwise, with the help of his Mom's Herdier. Touko was an extreme outlier for Omegas, who were acknowledged to have a good understanding for pokemon, but most still believed pokemon were still just animals, despite their intelligence. 

"You can't hear them, can you? How sad." The way the older young man said it got Touko riled up again, and this time she spoke up. 

"I can hear just fine, thank you. I'm quite glad that you can hear them too, but you have to admit it's pretty rare for Alphas to have that ability, if not statistically impossible." She replied. 

He looked back at her, looking.... a little confused? Didn't he know that? Maybe he was a little spacey?

"My name is N." He said, by way of introduction.

Before Touko could reply, Cheren spoke. "I'm Cheren, and this is Touko. We were just asked to help complete the pokedex. My goal is to become the Champion- Ouch!" She scowled at him, elbowing him in the ribs. 

"I can talk, you know." She rumbled like an irritated badger. Her hormones were up in arms! But it was too early for her heat. What was going on? She turned back towards the... Alpha, yes, she supposed she could scent that now. He had an incredible scent, really strange for an Alpha. Sunlight, something she could only describe as nostalgic... like incense from a temple brazier back in Japan, mountain air, and a curious musky scent she wanted to lean in and get a better whiff of. She swallowed reflexively, and was slightly startled and a bit embarrassed to find she was salivating. Not DROOLING, just... Ahem. "This is my Partner, Ember." She said, indicating the Tepig in her arms.

N beamed at the pokemon, and Touko (To her chargrin) felt her heart flutter a few beats. "Ember. You're a very cute girl."

The fire swine puffed up with pride. Thank You! You have good taste. She looked him up and down. I don't know much about human males, so I don't know if you're cute or not. 

"Ember!"

He looked back at Touko. "I was wondering... I'm a trainer as well, could we have a match? There's something I want to see."

"Uh, Now?" She asked, taken off guard again. This guy was all over the place! "I only have Ember, so could it maybe be a one-on-one battle please?"

"Of course." He replied, stepping back a few more paces. 

Touko looked at Cheren. "Could you be the referee?" She asked. She appreciated his efforts, but his protectiveness was chafing at her today. 

He flushed, but nodded, moving off to the side. "This will be a one-on-one battle, between N and Touko. Begin when ready."

"Okay Ember, it's up to you!" Touko said, bumping noses with her Tepig before she jumped out of her arms and stood in a 'tough' position, snorting little flames and scraping the ground with her hoof. 

"Purrloin, if you would be so kind." N said, bringing his own pokemon out of it's ball. "I must say, it's rather refreshing to see someone who doesn't keep their pokemon confined all the time."

"I prefer not to, yeah." She said. "I like having conversations with Ember."

The Purrloin snorted disdainfully. Can we get on with this already? He sneered. I don't have any interest in what humans have to say.

Rude! Ember retorted, but then the battle was on. 

"Purrloin, use scratch!"

"Ember, dodge it and use Tackle!"

Long story short, Touko and Ember were the winners of this particular match. She hugged her pokemon, and then went over to see if Purrloin was okay, leaning over with her hands on her knees as N knelt to check on his pokemon. "Is Purrlion okay?" She asked. "I have a potion if-"

Suddenly, N stood up, holding his Purrloin, and bent in close, too close, his nose against her hair and almost to her neck as he took in a deep breath. Touko stilled, eyes wide. ".... Oh... So this is your Omega scent." He said, voice so soft. "You smell good, like flowers and honey-"

"HEY!" Cheren barked as he ran over. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

N straightened up and put a little (Not much) space between them, Touko flushing brightly. "I don't know." He replied, seeming pleasantly confused. "Well, your Pokemon seems to like you. But, I will say this." He leveled a serious look at both of them. "Pokemon should be free. People who can't understand them will never let them reach their full potential. And I'm going to prove it." He bowed, then turned and walked off. 

Touko stood there with Cheren for a few silent moments. "... That guy was such a- are you alright?" He asked suddenly, turning to Touko. "I-shit. I have an appointment with my optometrist in five minutes. Are you going to be alright?"

"Fine!" She squeaked, before clearing her throat. "I mean, yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. I'm heading back to the Pokemon Center." She gave him a smile and patted his shoulder. "Okay, well... I'm going to get going. You go ahead. I'm alright, he was just... a little odd." Like he lacked socialization with humans. 

Cheren nodded after a few moments, and ran off.

Touko went right to the pokemon center, turned Ember over to get treated, and went straight to the shower, sniffing herself. Her pheromones had overriden the scent blockers slightly! What the hell was that?! It wasn't... She didn't think it was a soulmate thing, the books and movies always made that seem like they couldn't keep their hands off each other. 

But, those were books and movies, and she'd always been a little odd... She groaned as she tried to drown herself under the hot stream of water. What was that? Would she ever see him again? 

.... Why did she want to?


	4. Chapter 4: N's Third-person POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uuuurgh. So, last chapter I apparently screwed things up with my formatting. It took me a while to fix, since I only had my phone at the time. So frustrating. 
> 
> So, a quick break, and a peek at what N was thinking.

N watched his father as he delivered his speech of freedom to the masses gathered at the park. He closed his eyes, listening to the disjointed murmurs of the pokemon inside Pokeballs, and the voices of those who were outside. Just like the people, they seemed unsure. They'd lost confidence that should have been natural to them, if they had always been free. 

The sounds and smells rolled over him, most vaguely unpleasant, until-

What was that?

N turned to his left, eyes scanning the crowd. Something had just caught his attention... like a growl? Or a mild rumble of thunder? And what was that smell?

His eyes finally settled on the girl holding her Tepig, on the other side of the crowd, towards the back. There was... something about her? 

As he drew closer, he heard the confident voice of the little fire pokemon reassuring her. 

He couldn't stay away. He had to find out what was so different about her. So, he asked her to battle. 

And after the battle, she'd approached him. And that's when he suddenly knew- 

Omega. She was an Omega. 

He had to get a closer scent of her, so he stood up, bending his head close to her neck. He'd heard her soft gasp, seen her body tense and eyes widen in surprise. She smelled like wildflowers, and honey, but-

She also smelled like wind and lightning. She practically charged the air with it. 

He knew without a doubt that their paths would continue to cross, and that somehow, her destiny and his were linked.


	5. Chapter Five

It was another few days before Touko left Accumula town to head to the next city.

Route 2, between Accumula and Striation City, was actually quite pleasant. Sure, the trek was mostly uphill, and the footpaths were ridiculously convoluted.... and people were like freaking ambush predators waiting for other trainers to walk into their traps, but altogether, it was alright. Especially since her mom had actually driven all the way out to Accumula in order to give her a pair of new 'Trainer Shoes'. Fireproof, waterproof, and shock-resistant, they were super-durable and the cutting edge of trainer footwear. A must-have if you were going to be running around mostly by foot from one city to another for a few months at a time, at the very least. 

Touko wiped her hand against her brow for a moment as she looked ahead at the long grass. Most people thought that the distance between towns would be a piece of cake to traverse. Which might be so, if you weren't pacing yourself, or training, or stopping for breaks. Or getting lost. But Touko didn't get lost. Usually. GPS systems in Trainer gear was probably one of the most brilliant ideas people had ever come up with. And it helped to make sure that she didn't stay lost for too long.

She glanced down at Ember. "So, you're not going to sneeze this time, right?" She asked cautiously.

The little piglet snorted and tossed her head. No! She exclaimed, then paused. Well, I don't think so, anyway. 

"Because I'd rather not set the field on fire." She said, looking around. She could hear the voices of various Pokemon ahead, recognizing the slightly sarcastic tone of Purrloins. She wondered if she could convince one of the purple cats to join her party? She certainly hoped so. 

Ember sniffed haughtily before trotting off into the grass, making Touko hurry after her to try and keep up. I wouldn't do that! She said huffily. You worry too much about dumb stuff.

"No, I think I worry just the right amount." The trainer replied as they walked through the grass. 

"Hey!" 

Touko jumped, then turned to face a trainer who... "Were you waiting to AMBUSH me or something?!" She exclaimed, giving the younger trainer a scowl. "What the heck?!"

The kid merely grinned and pointed to his gear. "I'm Jimmy Franklin! I'm one of the local trainers here, and I've got a channel on the TrainerTube program! You're a trainer too, right? Have a battle with me!"

Touko paused, then glanced at her own shoulder. Oh, right! 

With the rise of the Internet and specifically the ability to broadcast things to the whole world via computers, one solution to monetary issues while trainers traveled was 'sponsorship'. Now, it wasn't that a company specifically would back you, more people who enjoyed watching your battles. Most trainers had their own channels, in hopes of being able to make their own living wages without having to rely on the league or their parents for funding. 

Touko _had_ set up an account, but hadn't actually begun using the system yet. She turned on her camera and used her Gear to make sure she was logged in and ready to broadcast. "Um... And I'm Touko Shirogami. This will be my first broadcasted battle, actually, so please regard me kindly!"

The boy gave her an odd look before laughing. "Wow, seriously? You're way older than me, and you're just starting out?"

Ember grunted in irritation and snorted, her hoof scoring the ground. Come on, let's teach him a lesson, Touko! The little Tepig exclaimed, settling into her battle-stance.

The Patrat that Jimmy sent out didn't present a whole lot of a challenge. As coordinated as Touko and Ember were by that point (Having trained at every opportunity, one might add), they knocked out the rodent pokemon before it could unleash it's Bide attack of stored damage. 

"Ah! Patrat, no!" The boy exclaimed as he checked on his pokemon.

"Is he going to be okay?" Touko asked as she jogged over.

Jimmy nodded sharply, frowning, before taking a deep breath and turning towards her. "You did really well for your first broadcast." He said, trying to be a good sport about his loss as he offered her his hand. "Great match, Touko. You and Ember are really strong."

She smiled slightly and rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. "Well, thank you. Ember and I have our sights set on the Champion seat of Unova. We look forward to your support." She said to the camera, before shutting it off. 

She saw the boy off back towards town, before continuing on the path herself. She ran across two more trainers and a few wild pokemon, broadcasting the trainer fights as she went. She didn't expect to be getting views (And therefore, some small donations) so soon, but she didn't complain. She even had a few people subscribe to her channel! True, most of them were friends and family, but there was at least one she was unfamiliar with.

One Pokemon, a female Purrloin she decided to call Mau, decided to join them on their journey after seeing them in action against another trainer. It's a trail run, you understand. She'd said, This is only temporary until I decide if you're worth sticking around with long time. You understand?

"Oh! Yes, definitely." Touko told her with a nod of her head, concealing a smile. What a cocky little cat she was. "Thank you for coming along."

She seemed satisfied with this, and left well enough alone for a while as they continued exploring the route. It was late in the evening when they came within sight of the town.

Touko was looking forward to the pokemon center, to heal up her friend's scrapes and bruises, ad to take a shower and refresh her scent-blockers, but things didn't go according to plan.

"Hey Touko! Have a battle with me!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It happened again. Just finished the chapter, lost everything. *huffs* But, I want to write this, so here's take two.
> 
> This explains a little more of why I don't consider this fiction to be a typical A/O verse. I've actually been considering as to weather or not this should be a asexual romance fic, but decided I will do that one in a different fandom with a different fandom. 
> 
> WARNING; TALK ABOUT PERIOD CORRELATIONS TO HEATS.
> 
> So, being a girl with other gal pals, I got to thinking; What happens for Omegas during their heat? The whole Mate or Die thing sounds like it sucks hard, but is it really like that for everyone? I mean, I always get the ones where I'm bloated and miserable and just want to go curl up and forget about the world for a few days. And the symptoms leading up to it are also unpleasant. 
> 
> However, one of my best friends has no issues whatsoever, other than having to use sanitary products. No mood swings really, maybe mildly irritable. 
> 
> So why can't Omegas also have variations in the severity of their heats? Of course popular media has run away with the idea of 'burning heats' in the history of time in an Alpha-dominated society. 
> 
> I'm sorry for rambling. Anyway, if this chapter leaves you with more questions than answers, or you just wanna talk worldbuilding or headcanons, go ahead and comment! Thank you!
> 
> PS; Touko will NOT be experiencing a Heat this chapter. You'll see. Thank you.

Touko, feeling very tired and more than a little dirty, was NOT in the mood for a conventional pokemon battle. After a full day of traveling and training, Ember and Mau were tired as well. "Bianca, hon. No." She sighed and shook her head at the beta gently. "We've been walking and battling all day, I need a bath and my blockers, and I'm out of potions. Can we have the battle tomorrow maybe?" She asked, clasping her hands in front of her and giving the blond a pleading look.

Instantly, the American girl gave a sheepish smile, ducking her head. "O-oh, right... I'm sorry." She said as she rubbed a hand at the back of her neck. "I guess I'm a little excited."

Touko chuckled, she knew the other girl was almost as excited as she was to be out on her journey. As they continued walking, she noticed Bianca glancing around like she was looking for something. "What is it?"

"Isn't Cheren with you?" She asked. 

Touko paused briefly to look back at her with a frown. "No. Why would he be?"

"No reason!" She said hurriedly. "I mean, uh, weren't the two of you together in Accumula? I thought you might be traveling with him."

She turned back to face forward and shrugged slightly, watching as Ember ran ahead, chasing after Bianca's Snivy, Mau taking a nap while riding on her satchel. "I mean, yeah, we ran into each other, but he had an appointment at the optometrist and I didn't see him again after that."

Bianca winced slightly, unseen behind her brown-haired friend. Poor Cheren. She knew their Alpha friend had had a crush on the Japanese Omega for years, but... well, Touko only saw him as a friend. 

In fact, she could barely tolerate the presence of most Alphas. The natural arrogance tended to piss her off, and she found most of their scents unpleasant, off-putting. Bianca had watched them growing up, and despite her own crush on the Blunet boy, well...

He was an Alpha. She was an Omega. They were childhood friends, and all the stories said that once they grew up and reached the age of Presentation, also known as puberty, Cheren would sense her right away and race to her side, they would Recognize each other as True Mates, fall madly in love, Bond, and live happily ever after. 

Only, it hadn't happened that way. Touko's Presentation and first Heat had happened over Spring Break one year back when Bianca was around 11 or so. They hadn't even known what had happened until Touko came to school a week later. Bianca had gotten a call from Touko just after it started, apparently, and she'd only sounded like she had a bad flu or something. 

Later, Bianca had asked in a hushed whisper what it had been like, feeling sympathetic for her friend. Everyone knew that Omegas had unbearable heats without an Alpha, resulting in a lustful, messy agony.

Except....

"Well, actually, it was kind of like being sick, really." She said after thinking it over for a few moments, leaning against the chain-link fence as she watched a small pack of wild Lilipup run through the bushes on the other side. "I had a mild fever, sort of nauseous, a cramping stomach, and all I wanted to do all day was hole up in my room in a nest of pillows, blankets and cushions while watching a bunch of old Rom Coms, Disney and Don Bluth, with a little cuddling with mom thrown in." She shrugged. "Maybe they'll get worse as I get older, but really, it was just... sort of uncomfortable. The worst part, in my opinion, was that my period came afterwards."

And that was that. As time went on, her heats did change slightly, but not to the level that was so commonly accepted in books or movies, staying rather mild. Bianca had even witnessed the onset of a heat of hers before, and not realized what happened until later. It was just a couple years ago, when they had been getting ready to walk home from the local swimming pool. Touko had stopped, asked Bianca to wait, and called her mom quickly on her cell phone before going to sit down on a bench under a tree, with her towel covering her head and shoulders. 

Bianca had sat down next to her and rubbed her lower back. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Touko shook her head and smiled slightly under the cover of the damp cloth. "Nah, I'm just starting. I'll be fine, Dad's coming to pick us up."

It took Bianca a couple moments to catch on to what she meant, and admittedly, her reaction was much more suspicious than anything her friend had done. "You're WHAT?!?" She exclaimed, jumping up in alarm. Her eyes darted about, looking for any Alphas scenting the air and heading their way, she'd do her duty as a Beta best friend-

"Bianca, Beeeee, calm down, take a seat." She urged, waving her back over. "No one's paying attention. Come back and sit with me, please. I promise that's the best way to help me out right now."

After a bit more coaxing, she was able to get Bianca to sit back next to her, holding onto her hand until her father rolled up in his minivan to take the girls home. Bianca, as a Beta, didn't have a super refined nose like either of the rare genders, but she knew enough that if Touko was in heat, she should probably be smelling something...

And, well, she was, but it was more like a... calming, familiar, relaxing or... Nostalgic, that was the word, a nostalgic perfume. It didn't make her feel anything weird, just... relaxed and happy, and wanting to breathe more of it in.

She snapped out of her silent musing as Touko spoke up. "Hey! Bee! Which way do you think the Pokemon Center is? Are you awake?"

"H-huh?! Oh!! Yes, yep, I'm awake!" She exclaimed as she looked around the street. They'd reached Striation City, and even the peppy blond was starting to feel some fatigue. "Uhh... That way? According to my Gear."

"Okay, let's go." Touko said with a small smile before leading the way again. 

Bianca smiled back as she trotted after her, watching her ponytail sway from side to side. Her friend was always showing her that things didn't fit into neat little boxes, that there were always exceptional people in the world. This Omega would never be 'typical', would never be 'predictable', and would never, ever give up. 

If True Mates did exist, she thought, she hoped that they would love that about her friend as much as she did.


End file.
